TELUGU
Poets of Telangana
P.V.L.N. RAO
MUNGILI: Sunkireddy Narayana Reddy; Telangana Publications, 3/97, Old Alwal, Secunderabad-500010. Rs. 175.
A SEQUEL to the author’s ‘modern literature of Telangana’, this volume of 10 chapters covers around 500 ancient poets between 10th century B.C. and 19th century A.D., who thrived under various dynasties like Satavahanas, Chalukyas, Padmanayakas, Kutubshahis, and Asafjahis. A list of 55 poets about whom information could not be gathered is given at the end.
Painstaking research of various inscriptions and reference to works of pioneers such as Colin Mekenzi, Kommaraju Lakshmanrao, Jayanti Ramiah, and Mallampalli Somasekara Sarma go to enhance the authenticity of the material presented.
A galaxy of pace-setters of this region embellished various literary genres. They include Palakurthi Somanadha (Basava Puranam), Somana (Vishadhi Pasatakam), Gona Buddha Reddy (Dwipada Ranganatha Ramayanam), and Kondukuri Rudrakavi (Yakshagana). Above all, the revered devotional poet Pothana (Bhagavatham) hails from Bammera, Warrangal district.
A host of Sanskrit poets, including Bhavabhuti, also belong to Telangana. Gunadhya (200-150 BC)belonged to Medak district and his work, ‘Brihakatha’, inspired Persian poets to compose ‘Arabian Nights’ and ‘Thousand and One nights’.
The author says that Vemulavada Bhimakavi of the 12th century, who is generally believed to belong to Andhra region, was in fact from Telangana. Excerpts given from the writings of most of these poets are useful because they are not easily accessible. An asset to connoisseurs of literary history.
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